Warriors' Lee making run at NBA All-Star game

OAKLAND -- With the game a little more than a month away, All-Star candidacy chatter has started in earnest, and the timing couldn't be better for Warriors forward David Lee.

With teammate Stephen Curry looking like a virtual lock to be a Western Conference All-Star this season -- quite possibly as a starter -- the focus has turned to Lee, who represented the Warriors last season as their only selection but has faced an uphill battle to make this year's game in New Orleans on Feb. 16.

Lately, Lee has been climbing that hill. Over the past 14 games, during which time the Warriors have posted a 12-2 record, he is averaging 22.5 points, 10.6 rebounds and shooting 59.1 percent from the field. He has played in all 39 games this season, has scored in double figures in every one, and had a double-double in 21.

Golden State Warriors' David Lee (10) takes a shot in the second period of their basketball game against the Boston Celtics held at Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif., on Friday, Jan. 10, 2014.
(Doug Duran)

That said, Lee is unlikely to be voted into the All-Star game with balloting scheduled to close next Monday. He is 14th in the Western Conference frontcourt balloting, trailing even teammate Andre Iguodala, who is ninth. Starters will be announced Jan. 23, and the reserves will be revealed Jan. 30.

Lee became the Warriors' first All-Star in 16 years when he was selected as a reserve last season. He hopes to join Curry in New Orleans and give Golden State two All-Stars for the first time since 1993, when Chris Mullin and Tim Hardaway made the West squad.

"I think my play of late has been All-Star level," Lee said Monday. "There are a lot of really good power forwards. Obviously, you have a guy like (Portland's LaMarcus) Aldridge, who has proven he's played the best of any power forward, and there are a lot of other guys in that category. We'll see how it works out."

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Curry believes Lee has to be back in the conversation for an All-Star nod.

"One hundred percent ... I don't think he was really ever out of it," Curry said. "But he's shown how important he is to the success of our team and why he's been there twice. I don't think it was fair to take him out of that conversation early in the season without allowing things to settle in and develop. It's nice to see him playing the way he is, and I expect to see him in New Orleans representing the Warriors."

After being snubbed for last year's game, Curry isn't taking anything for granted about making the All-Star team himself. But he is the second-leading vote-getter at guard and the top healthy one with front-runner Kobe Bryant out with a knee injury and No. 3 man Chris Paul down with a separated shoulder.

The thought of possibly being a starter in the game leaves him a bit taken aback.

"That's kind of crazy," Curry said. "It's humbling. Obviously, we have to see how it plays out, but you have to thank the fans and everybody who takes the time out to go vote. I'm not the one sitting behind a computer typing my name over and over again. They're the ones supporting me, and it's a very surreal situation. I try not to think about it too much, and I hope to have a reaction at the end of this whole process."

Curry had 677,372 votes in the third balloting update released late last week, with a lead over Paul of more than 26,000 votes. Bryant, who will not play in the game, led all backcourt vote-getters with 844,538.

Curry and his teammates had a much-needed weekend off before getting back to work with a spirited full scrimmage practice Monday. It was a good weekend for the point guard other than the loss of his hometown team, the Carolina Panthers, to the 49ers in the NFC divisional playoffs. Curry lost a bet to Iguodala on the game.

"I won't disclose the amount, but it's reasonable," Curry said. "It hurts, but kudos to the 49ers for getting it done. I won't jump on their bandwagon. I will stay loyal to my Panthers, but I will definitely support them and hope they do well and win the Super Bowl in three weeks."